Medical patients who have implanted catheters often experience an acute or chronic infection problem that results from bio-burden entering the body between the meatus and the catheter surface. For example, patients who have urinary drainage catheters inserted into the bladder via the urethra for post-operative therapy, or long term catheters for paraplegics can expect to develop urinary tract infections within 10 days after catheterization. Patients with implanted catheters for continuous ambulatory, peritoneal dialysis are also at risk.
Extensive studies have shown the bacteria burden along the catheter length can be multi-layered and thus resistant to antibiotics which are unable to reach the bottom and bacterium reproduction layers. It would be desirable to provide techniques for killing the bacteria on the catheter surface without deleterious effect to the patient. This treatment effectively safeguards the patient from "tunnel-infections" and their life threatening consequences.
The following attempts have been made by the prior art to reduce tunnel infections:
(1) "Goretex" bacteria seals at the epidemis; PA0 (2) Bactericides, such as silver compounds applied to the catheter surface; PA0 (3) Catheter replacement at frequent intervals; and PA0 (4) Use of antibiotics (Bactrim DS).
These approaches have been marginally successful, but each has limitations that mitigate against their widespread acceptance by the medical community.